Racing amusement device



' Nov. 9, 1937. c. W. MUSSER RACING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 31, 1935 [N VENTOR Mm A TTORNE Y Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES 8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in racing amusement devices of a type in which devices simulating racing figures, as jockeys on horses, are mounted on carriers independently intermittently advanced to a finish position and then simultaneously retracted to the starting position.

It relates particularly to the type in which each carrier is reciprocatively slidable on a supporting bar on which it is intermittently advanced by a locking member slidable on the bar and tiltable thereon to and from a locking position in which it holds the carrier from advancing, the locking member being released from the locking position and forwardly advanced step by step by a pawl which is intermittently engaged by a reciprocative ratchet member, resetting means being provided when the carrier reaches the finish for disengaging the pawl from the ratchet member and retracting the carrier to the starting position.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of novel means, for reducing wear on the locking member and pawl, and for enabling these members to properly effect their functions in spite of wear.

Another object of my invention is the provision of novel means for normally forcing the locking member to its locking position.

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for connecting the pawl to the locking member that will eliminate lost motign between the two with its consequent ill eiiects, and will enable them to be handled as a unitary member.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of novel means for causing the pawl to operatively engage the ratchet member. This application discloses but does not claim some of the subject matter claimed in my application for Racing amusement mechanism, filed April 26, 1935, Serial Number 18,294.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention and modifications thereof,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of my invention, showing a racing figure supported upon the carrier, the latter operatively mounted on a supporting bar, and a coil spring encircling the pintle connecting the locking member and the pawl for engaging the latter with the ratchet member, a part of which is shown.

Fig. 2 is a reduced view similar to Fig. 1, partly in side elevation and partly broken away, showing the locking member held in the release position against the limiting stop by the ratchet member through the intermediacy of the pawl.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, and including a coil spring encircling the supporting bar and holding the locking member in the locking position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, excepting that a coil pull spring connects the locking member with the carrier and holds the locking member in the" locking position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2, excepting that the spring encircling the pintle is eliminated and a coil pull spring connects the pawl with the locking member and serves to engage the pawl with-the ratchet member.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan View of the pawl and locking member engaged by a spring encircling the pintle, as in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

Fig. '7 is a side edge View of the parts shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the carrier.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the different views.

In each form of my invention there is provided a carrier having a horizontal portion l provided at its front and ends respectively with downwardly extending arms 2 and 3 respectively provided with holes through which extends a horizontal supporting bar 4 on which the carrier is longitudinally slidably reciprocative.

Upwardly extending from the portion l is a post 5 which supports a racing figure 6, the one shown simulating a horse carrying a jockey.

A locking member comprising an upright plate I is disposed between the arms 2 and 3 and has through it a transverse hole 8, Fig. 6, through which extends the supporting bar 4 on which the locking member I is slidably reciprocative. The upper end of the locking member I is fitted in a slot I in the portion l of the carrier so as to be oscillated forwardly and rearwardly. The hole 8 through the locking member I is of a size such that the locking member can be tilted on the bar from the release vertical position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, to the downwardly and rearwardly inclined position shown in Fig. l in solid lines, in which inclined position, the look-- ing member will crampingly and lockingly engage the bar 4 and hold the carrier from forward movement.

Extending rearwardly from the lower end of tion shown in solid lines in Fig. 1.

the front arm 2 is a projection'S against which the locking member I strikes when it is moved forwardly at its lower end to the vertical, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2. The projection 9 thus forms a limiting stop for the forward swinging of the locking member I.

When in'the vertical position against the projection 9-, the locking member 1 will be released from looking cramped engagement with the bar 4,

and the carrier will be free to be slid forwardly and rearwardly on the-bar 4.

For forcing the locking member 1 to the release position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in solid lines in Fig. 2, it has snugly pivotally fittedto its lower end portion by a horizontal pintle I I! which is transverse tothe bar 4,

downwardly and rearwardly extending pawl II,'

7 ing member I tothe release position against the projection 9, and on the continued forward movement of the ratchet member I2, causes the locking member I to move forwardly the carrier with the racing figure 6 which is carried thereby.

When the ratchet member stops its forward movement, it is designed to stop the forward movement of the carrier. To effect this, means are provided for forcing the lower end of the locking member I rearwardly to the locking posi- This can be effected by means of a coil spring I3 which encircles the bar 4 and bears at its front end against the arm 2 and at its rear end against the locking member 1, and which exerts a continual pressure upon the latter'tending to force it to the tilted locking position and thereby instantly stopping the carrier and preventing the carrier from forward skidding to any'substantial amount, Fig. 3.

The locking member I is retracted to the looking position, in the form shown in Fig. 4, by a coil spring I4 disposed above the bar 4 and attached at its forward end to the locking member I and attached at its rear end to the arm 3, and which normally pulls the member I to the tilted locking position, shown in Fig.4. 1

For normally quickly forcing the pawl II into operative engagement with the ratchet member I2, I provide in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and 62nd 7 a coil spring I5 which encircles the pintle II] between two ears I6 of the pawl II, which encircle the pintle, Fig. 6, and which has its end portions bearing respectively against the rear sides of the locking member I and the pawl I I, and which exerts a pressure tending constantly to force the lower end of the pawl I I into operative engagement with the ratchet member I2.'

The tension of the springIS also normally exerts a constant pressure tending to force the locking member I to the tilted locking position, so that the spring I5 'serves a double function, that of en-' gaging the pawl II with the'ratchet member I2,

and of forcing the locking member I normally to the locking position.

The spring I5 could be used alone to effect engagement of the locking member! in holding relationship to the bar 4, but it is desirable to provide additional means, to avoid wear on the locking member, suchas the spring I3 or the spring Id,

to effect positive locking engagement of the locking member with the bar 4.

Instead of the spring I5, a coil spring I'I, Fig. 5, may be attached at its front end to a pin I8 in the lower end of the locking member I, and its rear end attached to a lip I9 on the pawl II,

for forcing the pawl into operative. engagement with the ratchet member I2. The tension of the spring I! is such as tends to move the pawl II to its operative position, and also to move the locking member 7 to the locking position.

For retracting the carrier to the starting position, after it has reached the finish position, there is provided a horizontally reciprocative' bar 20, which moves rearwardly, engages the pawl I I, and lifts the latter to the dotted position shown in Fig. l, in-which the pawl will be released from the ratchet member I 2.

Thereduced lower end portion of the pawl II is vertically movable in a longitudinal slot'2I provided in the lower end of the pawl II. to a position in which two shoulders 22 on opposite side edges of the pawl II engage the arm 3, and, as the pawl I I is lifted by the bar 20, the pawl I I will be caused by the arm 3 to push forwardly the locking member I to the release position, whereupon the carrier will be free to be retracted by of the latter. 7 I

By reason of the snug pivotal fitting of the pawl II to the locking member 1, through the pintle IO, there is no sliding movement of the pawl rela. tive to the locking member, and consequent exc'ess wear of the locking member, when the carrier is retracted, is eliminated.

With the employment of the spring I3 or the 'the bar 20 on the continued rearward movement spring I4, for retracting the locking member, a

wear of the locking member, due to its continual sliding and looking on the bar 4, the locking member is always reliably forced to its locking position as soon as the forward impulse against the carrier ceases, so that forward skidding., due to momentum, is avoided. As shown in the drawing, the rear arm 3 of the carrier inclines rearbecomes worn, it will swing rearwardly farther before it looks with the bar 4 to stop the forward sliding of the carrier; By having the arm 3 so inclined, the shoulders 22 of the pawl II are, when the locking member I is in the locking position, shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, spaced'asubstantial distance from the arm 3. This permits much greater wear of the locking member to occur before the shoulders 22 contact with the arm 3 and prevent the locking member I swinging to the lockin 'position, than were the arm 3 at right angles to the bar 4,'as it is in the mechanism of my ccpending application No. 18,294.

Thus, with the use of the inclined arm 3-, a

longer period of usefulness for'the locking m her is obtained, than can be obtained'with the use of the right angled arm; 7 y

Other modifications of my invention, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing tion.

from the spirit of my inven-' What I claim is:-

1. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a supporting bar, a carrier reciprocative on said supporting bar, a locking member engaged by and movable with said carrier and slidably reciprocative on said bar and tiltable thereon to and from a locking position in which it will hold said carrier from forward but will permit its rearward movement, a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative ratchet member, and a pawl engageable and movable forwardly by said ratchet member and engaging said looking member for releasing said locking member and moving it and said carrier forwardly, of a spring engaging said locking member and said pawl and holding them tightly engaged with each other, and having a tension normally forcing said pawl into operative engagement with said ratchet member and said locking member toward the locking position, and resilient means operable independently of said pawl for normally forcing said locking member to the locking position.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a supporting bar, a carrier reciprocative on said supporting bar, a locking member engaged by and movable with the carrier and slidably reciprocative on said bar and. tiltable thereon to and from a locking position in which it will hold said carrier from forward but will permit its rearward movement, a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative rachet member, and a pawl engageable and movable forwardly by said ratchet member and engaging said locking member for releasing said locking member and moving it and said carrier forwardly, of a spring engaging said pawl and said locking member and holding them tightly engaged with each other, and having a tension normally forcing said pawl into operative engagement with said ratchet member and said locking member toward the locking position, and a spring encircling said bar and bearing against said carrier and said locking member for normally forcing the latter to the locking position.

3. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a supporting bar, a carrier reciprocative on said supporting bar, a locking member engaged by and movable with said carrier and slidably reciprocative on said bar and tiltable thereon to and from a locking position in which it will hold said carrier from forward but will permit its rearward movement, a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative ratchet member, and a pawl engageable and movable forwardly by said ratchet member and engaging said locking member for releasing the latter from the locking position and moving it forwardly with said carrier, of a spring engaging said pawl and said locking member and having a tension normally forcing said pawl into operative engagement with said ratchet member and said locking member toward the locking position.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a supporting bar, a carrier reciprocative on said supporting bar, a locking member engaged by and movable with said carrier and slidably reciprocative on said bar and tiltable thereon to and from a locking position in which it will hold said carrier from forward but will permit its rearward movement, a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative ratchet member, and a pawl engageable and movable forwardly by said ratchet member and engaging said looking member for releasing the latter from the locking position and moving it forwardly with said carrier, of a spring engaging said pawl and said locking member and having a tension normally forcing said pawl into operative engagement with said ratchet member and said locking member toward the locking position, and a spring engaging said carrier and said locking member and exerting a constant pressure for normally forcing the latter to the locking position.

5. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a supporting bar, a carrier reciprocative on said supporting bar, a locking member engaged by and movable with said carrier and slidably reciprocative on said bar and tiltable thereon to and from a locking position in which it will hold said carrier from forward but will permit its rearward movement, a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative ratchet member, and a pawl engageable and movable forwardly by said ratchet member, of a spring engaging said pawl and said locking member and having a tension normally forcing said pawl into operative engagement with said ratchet member and said locking member toward the locking position, and a pintle engaging said pawl and said locking member and holding them in snug pivotal engagement with each other.

6. In a device of the kind described, the com bination with a supporting bar, a carrier reciprocative on said supporting bar, a locking mem ber engaged by and movable with said carrier and slidably reciprocative on said bar and tiltable thereon to and from a locking position in which it will hold said carrier from forward but will permit its rearward movement, a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative ratchet member, and a pawl engageable and movable forwardly by said ratchet member, of a pintle engaging said pawl and said locking memberand holding them in snug pivotal engagement with each other, and a spring encircling said pintle and having a bearing against said locking member and against said pawl such that the latter will be forced into operative engagement with said ratchet member.

'7. In a device of the kind described the combination with a supporting member, a carrier forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative thereon, a locking member slidably reciprocative on said supporting member and tiltable thereon to and from locked engagement therewith that will hold said locking member from forward sliding and engaging and movable with said carrier and adapted to move said carrier forwardly and, when in said locked engagement, holding said carrier from forward movement, a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative ratchet member, and a pawl engaging and movable with said locking member and adapted to be engaged and moved forwardly with said locking member by said ratchet member, of a spring engaging said looking member and said pawl and normally forcing the latter into operative engagement with said ratchet member.

8. In a device of the kind described the combination with a supporting member, a locking member slidably forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative thereon and tiltable to and from locked engagement therewith that will hold said locking member from forward sliding, a reciprocative ratchet member, a pawl adapted to be engaged and moved forwardly by said ratchet member and engaging and adapted to release and tilt said locking member to an unlocked position and to then slide said locking member forwardly, and retracting means, of a carrier forwardly and rearwardly reciprocative on said said ratchet bar said pawl and moving said pawl against said inclined portion, the latter forcing said pawl forwardly to a position in which said locking-member will be moved out of locking engagement with said supporting member.

CLARENCE W. MUSSER; f 

